Windshield wiper mechanism



P 1943- w. c. HANSEN 2,329,895

WINDSHIELD WIPER MECHANISM Filed May 11, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORN EYS.

s t. 21, 1943. w. c. HANSEN 2,329,895

I WINDSHIELD WIPER MECHANISM Filed May 11, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WR Q C. HANSEN ATTORNEYS.

Sept 1943- w. c. HANSEN 2,329,895

WINDSHIELD WI PER MECHANISM Filed May 11, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR WI SYAY C; H/T/V/EN v i l4 fywwkp Patented Sept. 21, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WINDSHIELD WIPER MECHANISM Wray C. Hansen, Highland Park, Mich.; assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application May 11, 1940, Serial No. 334,522

2 Claims.

pair of spaced mechanisms which operate respec-' tively in a pair of converging planes substantially parallel to the planes of the windshield sections.

A flu'ther object of the invention is to provide an improved driven mechanism for the respective wiper blades whereby a rotary movement is transferred to an oscillatory movement.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved switch mechanism for regulating the driving mechanism for the wiper blades.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary, front elevational View of an automobile showing the positions of the various parts of the windshield wiper mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the windshield wiper mechanism in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the windshield wiper driving mechanism, parts being broken away and parts shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken Fig.- 4.

. Fig. 8 is a sectional vi'ewtaken on line 88 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive, are enlarged views of the switch mechanism taken on line lO-IU of Fig. 5.

The figures illustrate respectively the several positions of the switch mechanism.

Fig. 15 is a wiring diagram showing the electric circuit.

Referring to the drawings, the upper front end of an automobile is shown in Fig. 1 having a pair of angularly disposed windshield sections l0. Mounted on the cowl and beneath the windshield I have located a unitary structure including a pair of windshield wiper mechanisms I2, and a motor I4 for driving the two mechanisms. The motor l4 comprises an annular housing l6 enclosing a field l8, armature 20, commutator 22 and detachable end walls 24 which are held in assembled position by bolts 25. The armature shaft 26 is extended from opposite sides and is journaled in the end walls 24. The bearings 28 have their outer periphery formed spherical and are supported in the end walls by disks 30 which are pressed into hubs 32 in the ends walls 24.

The hubs 32 are each provided with an annular flange 34 which receive tubular members 36 surrounding the shaft 26. The ends of the shaft 26 are slotted as shown at 38 to receive one end of a spring 40. A shaft 42, in axial alignment with the shaft 26 is journaled in a housing 44 of the wiper driving mechanisms. The shaft has its endslotted as shown at 46 to receive the oppositeend of the spring 40. The spring 40 forms a drive between the two shafts 26 and 42. The opposite end of the shaft 42 is provided with a worm thread 48 in driving engagement with a gear 50 journaled in the housing 44 of the wiper driving mechanisms l2. The two driving mechanisms l 2 are identical and only the one will be described which is shown in detail in Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive.

The'housing 44 is made in two pieces, an upper section 52 and a lower section 54 which are secured together by screws 56. The lower section 54 carries a shaft 58 which is journaled therein and which carries the gear 50 rotatable therewith. The gear 50 carries a stamped disk 60 which has depressed portions 62 received in openings 64 to form a drive connection between the disk 60 and gear 50. At one side of the disk 60 there is provided a socket 66 formed in a diagonally extending flange 68. A bearing member l0 having an opening 12 is received in the socket 66 and is held in place by a removable cover 14.

The opening 12 in the bearing 70 receives the end of an arm 16 which is pivotally supported on a shaft 18 journaled in the upper housing section 52. The arm I6 is bifurcated as shown in Fig. 7 and the two arms thereof extend on opposite sides of the shaft 18, the latter being flattened at 82 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. A pin 84 pivotally supports the arm I6 on the shaft I8.

The upper housing section has a reduced and threaded end 86 which extends through the cowl 88. A washer 9i] and nut 92 are received on the end 86 and hold the mechanism in position. The shaft I8 is extended through the threaded end 86 and receives the usual wiper blade 94 which is held in position on the outer end of the shaft I8 by a nut 96.

The motor I4 is secured to the body flange 98 by a stud II carried by the motor housing" It and a nut I02 secures the latter in position. By this arrangement the completely assembled unit is secured in position at three points, through the motor at the center and through the opposite ends.

A switch mechanism may be applied to either driving mechanism I2 and is shown in Fig. 5. The shaft 58 is extended through the housing 1? and receives an arm I04 which has a pin I05. This arm and pin are rotatable with the shaft 5.8; and. gear 50. The switch housing IE3 is rotatably supported on a pin H9 carried by the housing 54:. The pin IZIO is riveted on at H2 to a;cover plate H4 secured to the housing tilt and is held in the housing 5 by. a C washer I'id fitting a groove in the pin H6. Another pin H8 fitting an opening in the pin H01 ivotally supports an insulation member I22: which carries a contactplate I24. Astationary spring plate I26 has a detent I28 fitting one ofthe three openings I. 3:El in the cover plate IM to retain the switch in one of three positions. Pins I32 carried by the housing 5 3 limit the extreme positions of the switch housing. Three contact terminals I34, I36; and I38 are provided in the housing Ida for selective contact with" projections M8 on the contact plate I24. A spring M2 urges the corita'ctpla-te I24 into contact with the bottom face of, the housing I08.

The insulation member i22 is provided with an arm: I44 adapted to be positioned in the path of the rotatable arm IE4 and pin IE6. It is to be'un'derstood 'that the'switch' housing I98 is rotatable on the pin Il-il and movable toone of three positions, oif, low speed and high speed. The insulation member I22 carrying the contact plate I24- is also rotatable with and relative to the; rotatable housing I08.

Referring now to the operation of the device it will be assumed that the wiper blades are in the position shown in Fig. l and the electric motor lil is ofi. Theswitcl'rhousing lilii'aild' contact plate I24 are in the position shown in'Fi'g. -.To start the motor on low speedthe switch housing. I08 is moved clockwise to a position shown: in: Fig; 11'. The arm It' l is held by the pin i322 so that the switch housing I68 moves relative toth'e contact plate I'M. The latterconstantly' in= contact with terminal I33, thenmakes contact with the terminals I34 and I36? so that the current flows directly tothe armature 2t and the field I8 through wires I59 and #52 from a source of electrical energy such as a battery il-' lustratedat I5 1 Themotor M is of the ordinary shunt type having a shunt field resistance I561 weakening the field increases the speedof the motor so that if the cur-rent does not flow direct- 1y tojthe fieldit through the terminaL I54;- and wire I52' butis directed through wire I58 and tive to said housing.

resistance I56 the field is weakened and the speed of the motor increased.

To drive the wipers at a higher speed the switch housing I08 is moved clockwise to a position shown in Fig. 12. The contact plate I24 then contacts only the terminal Hit. To shut the wiper off or to turn it back to the lower speed the switch housing is turned in a counterclockwise direction. If the low speed is desired the switch is turned to a position shown in Fig. 13 and if for shut olf, to a position shown in Fig. 14. When the switch housing I 26 is turned in a counterclockwise direction the contact plate I33 and arm I44 are turned with the switch as indicatedin Figs. 1-3 and 14 and the rotating pin I66 then moves the contact plate I24 back to its position shown in Figs. l0, l1 and l2. The slotted arm I46 receives a control connection I48 for moving the switch housing I98. I

When the switch housing is turned from one speed to another or to the off position, the switch does not set itself to that position until the pin Hi6 moves the arm Hi l. This assures the shutting off ofthe motor at the proper time when the wiper blades are in the downposition as shown in Figl. The arm IE4 is adjustable on the shaft 5 so that it may be positioned with the pin I128 in contact with the arm I44 for shut oi'fv when the arm it is in a position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 7 The reason for this being that for several degrees of rotation of the gear 5% there will be practically no movement of the shaft T8 when the arm I6 is in that position or aposition diametrically opposite. This provides an ideal construction for positioning the wiper blades in their down position when the motor is shut 01f. She wiper blades 94 are oscillating fastest when the arm I6 is in the position shown in Fig. 7. 1

All parts with the exception of the blades 94 can be bench assembled and the assembled parts tested'before an installation is made on the vehicle".

,Vai'ious changes including the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of my inventionand it is not my intention to limit its scope other than by the terms of the appended claims;

I claim:

1. A motor driven windshield Wiper compris ing an electrical switch for said motor having a movable part adapted for movement to oneo'f three positions, a relatively movable contact member cooperating with said part, means for manually moving said part independently of saidconta'ct member, and meahs'for moving saidcontact member independentlyof said part.

2.- In a windshield wiper mechanism; the combination of a unitary structure including an housing, contact members carried by said nous-=- ing, amovable contact member movable with said housing for engagement with said first named contact members; and a rotatable member carried by said windshield wiper mechanism for moving said movable contact-member rela- Want? 0. HANSEN. 

